Dance With The Devil
by Helmonade
Summary: Read and find out :
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Broken.

It had just been another ordinary day and Robert was looking forward to coming home. As he slipped through the door about an hour earlier than usual, he smiled and looked around his house before slowly sliding his shoes off of his feet. It was nice to be able to get the opportunity to relax for the rest of the day. Although it'd been a long day, it had also been such a great day, and Robert doubted anything could ruin his good mood. However, he blinked when he didn't hear a bright 'hello' from Daveigh, his wife. She wasn't out, because her coat was still here and her shoes were still by the door. Perhaps she was just in the shower, or asleep in bed. Robert quickly made his mind up and he pulled his coat off, throwing it anywhere and started to climb up the stairs slowly.

He heard some giggling coming from their bedroom and frowned in confusion. Then there was a moan. Followed by a male voice... That sounded all too familiar. Robert wasn't sure he wanted to know what was going on anymore, yet his legs continued to take him up the stairs. The bedroom door was already open and his heart froze eyes wide.

Robert blinked, not wanting to believe the scene that was unfolding before him. That was Daveigh and Don. Don. Don Self; his best friend. His best friend was in bed with his wife... And they were both naked. He didn't want to believe it. Robert swallowed hard, tears suddenly welling up in his eyes. The two didn't know he was there so they carried on. They were kissing, still making love. It was making Robert feel sick and he just wanted to run away but he legs wouldn't budge. He was watching them. His heart was beating quickly for all the wrong reasons. He swallowed once more and felt a tear run down his cheek. His heart wasn't even feeling heavy because there was no heart left in his chest anymore, it was gone, shattered, ruined for eternity. Robert's stomach felt like a stone had just dropped in it, tightening and squeezing, back flipping but it was for all the wrong reasons. His head suddenly began to shake from side to side, his mouth open in shock. It was really happening. The two people he trusted with his life were together in his bed sharing an experience Robert had thought only he and the woman underneath his best friend would experience. The intimacy, the love, everything. It was all suddenly melting away from him now. He'd seen the real truth.

"How..." He muttered and the movement from the two people on the bed stopped suddenly and Daveigh sat up, looking at Robert with her eyes suddenly wide.  
"Robert." She swallowed and glanced at Don who turned and looked over his shoulder, his expression held no emotion, he just watched him.  
"How could you?" Robert asked quietly, his voice nothing more than a whisper. It was all that he could manage. It was still hard to fathom. Was this really happening? Robert thought about pinching himself, trying hard to make himself believe he were in some kind of extremely bad nightmare and that he'd wake up in a hot sweat with his loving, faithful wife by the side of him.  
"It's not what it looks like." Came Don's voice and Robert closed his eyes, shaking his head, his body suddenly filling with anger; the pain and heartbreak rushing through his body with every tormented heartbeat.  
"Not what it looks like?" He repeated, his voice getting slightly high pitched as the anger rose in him. He'd trusted this man, helped him when he felt down, trusted him with secrets and swapped stories. Heck, he'd even forgiven the man when he said he had a thing for his wife. And _this _is how Don repaid him?!

Ugh, he couldn't even look at them. It made him feel physically sick.  
"Oh, don't stop just because I'm here. It wouldn't be nice to just leave her lying there like that, Don." Robert said coldly, without emotion. He'd hidden it well, arms now folded, leaning against the frame of the door. Oh, how he wished they could see his inside now, the shards of shattered heart everywhere like a piece of glass broken into millions of tiny pieces. It felt like it too; piercing his lungs and his stomach and every other vital organ, like he couldn't go on anymore.  
"Bobby-" Don started but Robert suddenly snapped.  
"Don't you DARE call me that!" He yelled before suddenly flying at his so-called friend and pulling him onto the floor. Whether Don was naked or not, Robert was going to get his turn.

"Robert!" Daveigh's voice suddenly piped up and she quickly slipped on her underwear before jumping on Langdon and trying to force him off Don, though it was no use. When Robert was angry, he was strong; very, very strong. Don struggled to get free, fighting back with a bleeding, broken nose. Fists were flying everywhere and Daveigh tried to separate the men but it was no use. Robert could kill Don right now. He felt like he should. He'd been told to fight for his woman and that's what he was doing. Though Dav wasn't his woman anymore; she was Don's. It was obvious to him, the way she'd tried to get him off Don. She'd slept with him for Christ's sake, it was obvious whose side she was on! Robert suddenly felt alone and lost, but he carried on hitting Don, letting out all his anger. That man was a prick and Susan was right! He'd gone around and backstabbed him, sleeping with his wife!  
"What kind of best friend are you?!" He yelled, not stopping, even though his knuckles were hurting and were getting covered with blood, "you're a fucking selfish prick! Susan was right! I hope you burn in hell you murderer!"  
He pulled himself off of the younger man and stood up, giving him one hard kick in the ribs before stepping backwards, eyes now locked on the shaking woman in front of him. That was his wife and she looked so scared. Half of Robert wanted to hug her close, tell her everything was going to be okay and that he forgave her... But the other wanted to call her a dirty little slut who deserved to have the murdering bastard that Don was. That half won, though he spoke in different words.  
"I hope you're happy with each other."  
"Robert... Don't."  
"Don't what?! Don't freak out because I just saw you having sex with my supposedly best friend?! It's over, Daveigh. We're through."

And with that, Robert turned on his heel, heart shattered so much it was impossible to break it anymore and went out of the room and down the stairs. He quickly pulled on his shoes and coat before grabbing his keys and opening the door, slamming it shut when he was out. Now what was he going to do? He had nowhere to go and he hands were covered in Don's blood. He shuddered at the images scribbled in his head. Robert didn't get into his car, he simply walked, walked on down the road, through some alleyways before he just couldn't hold it in any longer.

Robert collapsed to his knees in the middle of the path and sobbed. It was hard to contain his real emotion now and he'd just let it all out. He carried on crying so hard, not giving a damn that people were walking past him, staring at him as if he were some caged animal in a zoo. Robert couldn't even breathe now, and there tears were coming thick and fast like blobs. They were an unstoppable force just breaking through. He realised he had nothing; nothing for him now. His children were going to have a new father, a younger one and he no longer had Daveigh because she'd made it quite clear she was with Don now. He gritted his teeth at the thought of Don and sobbed more, in hysterics now. Everything blurred. His knees ached from being on the floor. Time passed, but how much time? Robert was unsure. He was unsure of everything. He didn't know where he was... He was just dragged to his feet, but the tears of anguish didn't stop. It was a fuzzy time... Robert's mind wasn't focused on anything, it was all passing so quickly. People were talking frantically, sounding worried but he just continued to cry. He didn't know who those people were and he didn't want to either. He just wanted to die. Why had his day suddenly turned into this? How long had Daveigh been seeing Don for behind his back? The man's brain ached with questions and emotions raced through his body. He was shaking. He was scared about what would happen now, scared of being alone for the rest of his life. Robert's fantastic, fantasy life had come to a sudden end, collapsing like the world trade centre on 9/11, ending in disaster like everything else in this damned world. His eyes were unfocused and everything suddenly went black. All the pain and emotion he was feeling had just suddenly melted away like an ice cube in a microwave. It was all over now, all over. No more heartbreak. No more pain. No more.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Breathe.

"If you drink one pint of that stuff you're going to drop down dead on the floor."  
"Like I care, anymore."

The bartender rolled his eyes and reluctantly handed the pint of Stella to Robert who handed over the money and lowered his head. This time yesterday he had been so happy and now, here he was, drowning his sorrows in alcohol. It couldn't have been any later than 4 pm. Robert sighed heavily and quickly downed the pint, regretting it instantly afterwards. He was fed up of alcohol. There came a time, when one drank, that you'd just consumed so much your body couldn't take anymore, and Langdon had discovered that point a while ago. Yet he forced himself to drink more. It didn't make him feel any better, though; alcohol was a depressant after all.

He breathed out a sigh and pushed himself up from the bar stool, his mind and vision blurred, but like he cared. He didn't care about anything anymore. Robert had lost everything he was living for... Was there any point in living anymore? No. No there wasn't any point in living. He'd lost everything to someone else, someone who was younger than him. Damn, he should've listened to Susan when she warned him about... him. Robert felt such an idiot inside to be played about like that. He was a fool to think that Daveigh actually loved him and wanted to be with him for a very long time. He betted now that both her and Don were sat there laughing because he'd been so gullible and believed every word she'd said to him. That was killing Robert more than any pint of Stella could. He wasn't a stable man anymore, so he most likely wouldn't be able to hold the responsibility of his daughters. He'd lose his job and then he really would have no reason to be living anymore.

Shakily, he made his decision and dragged himself out of the bar, stumbling about the place as if his legs were made of jelly. He thought about all of the ways to die and which one would be the easiest in this situation. He figured jumping off something, because he was drunk he wouldn't feel it when he hit the floor. He could always just drown himself. Robert wasn't sure but he just needed to express his emotional pain through physical pain. His frantic eyes scanned the area for something sharp and they came across a piece of discarded glass which painfully reminded himself of his broken heart shattered into a thousand pieces. Robert picked it up slowly and held it tightly in his hand, feeling the sharp points digging into his skin but he didn't care, he needed to feel this pain to know he was still alive. He was alive, unfortunately.

Taking a deep breath, Robert placed it by his wrist and closed his eyes, feeling his legs collapse beneath him and he ended up on his bum, leaning against a building. His back scraped down the wall as he fell, but the more pain the better. Now he just needed to feel the pain, see the blood. It was already there, cut when he fell. Robert's eyes widened as he looked down at his wrist, his vision still blurred, the blood dripping out of the deep cut he'd made when he fell. That could get infected but he didn't care. There was nothing to care about anymore.  
"What has happened..." He muttered to himself, a tear dripped down his cheek as he spoke and took in a deep, shaky breath. Now he just couldn't stop. The glass met his skin again and again. The pain rushed through his body like lightning and it made him realise he was still alive. People were walking past and staring, but he didn't look at them. Robert just concentrated on causing himself pain, though he could barely feel it because he was so drunk.  
"Robert!"

Langdon felt the glass being forced out of his hand and the tears carried on coming. He was sobbing now and didn't know that Daveigh was in front of him, Don next to her. The two of them had been looking for him all day so they could try and sort things out. But he couldn't see them; everything was a huge blur of colours to him.  
"Oh my god, Robert." Daveigh breathed, wiping the tears from his face and wrapping her arms around her husband. She felt so bad, and so she should. Don just crouched there, saying nothing. Robert clung back to Daveigh, still unaware of whom she was and just sobbed into her shoulder. He felt so safe in her arms again, as if everything would be okay and nothing wrong was ever going to happen again. It was then he realised who she was and half of him just wanted to cling to his wife more, feeling her embrace him and the other yelled at him to push her away, to tell her to go away and just get up to walk away. Though that half didn't win anymore and he just carried on bawling into her shoulder, his blood staining her top but that wasn't important.  
"I don't know what to do." Daveigh whispered to Don as Robert continued to hug her.  
"Leave him." Don answered, keeping his eyes fixed on the crying man, "Daveigh, leave him. Let him go and walk away. Like he said, it's over between you two."  
Deep down, Daveigh knew Don was right and nodded, placing a kiss on top of Langdon's head and slowly taking her arms from around him.

Robert let Daveigh do this and then watched her as she looked back at him, wiping his tears from his face again.  
"I'm so sorry." She whispered, "Robert I love you."  
"Daveigh..." He whispered, looking like a scared child. He was shaking so much.  
"But if you even think about hurting yourself again I won't be impressed, okay? You have so much to live for. The twins, your job..." She cupped his face with her hands and looked at him. He was so broken, she could see it in his watery eyes.  
"I can't..."  
"Yes you can, Robert. You're a strong man."  
"I can't... I have nothing."  
"You have the girls."  
"Daveigh, come on."  
"Don, give me a minute."

Nothing Daveigh said to Robert worked; he was so broken it was unbelievable. Slowly, she helped Robert to his feet and stepped backwards, looking up at Don as he slipped an arm around her shoulder.  
"Sorry, Bobby. Like I said, when your backs turned... You get bitten." Don said quietly, keeping his eyes fixed on his old friend before the two of them turned and walked off without another word. Feeling slightly more sober and with it, Robert wiped his eyes furiously and covered up his bleeding wrist with the sleeve of his shirt. He felt so stupid now... Don had planned it all and he could tell that the man was smirking to himself as the two of them walked off. Robert was alone and he had no one, that was the way Don wanted to keep it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Please don't go.

Robert couldn't even look at his daughters' faces when he stepped through the door of the house so he could pack all his things up. Those innocent 4 year olds had done nothing wrong and yet they were being punished. He himself had done nothing wrong and yet here he was. Robert breathed out a deep sigh and rubbed his forehead before walking through the hallway, past the twins and going up the stairs to the bedroom he used to sleep in. A wave on uncertainty suddenly rushed over him and Robert swallowed, his eyes fixed on the bed he used to sleep in. How many more times had the two of them had sex in that bed without him realising? He'd slept in it... At that thought his body shuddered and he realised that Daveigh was in the room standing by his wardrobe. She was crying and he sighed, suddenly feeling bad even though he shouldn't.  
"Robert I –"  
"Save it." He interrupted and pulled out a suitcase from underneath the bed. He didn't want her excuses. She couldn't change what she did even if she wanted to. As much as he believed in second chances, the trust he had for her had disappeared and he knew he'd never be able to be with her again.  
"Please just listen to me."  
"Listen to you say what, Dav? How you're sorry I saw what I saw and it didn't mean anything?" He raised his eyebrow at her and Daveigh wiped the tears from her eyes but they just kept coming. She didn't have an answer for him, "yeah, that's exactly what I thought."  
"Robert..."  
"Just shut up." Robert sighed and walked over to his wardrobe, opened the door and grabbed all his clothes bit by bit, not even bothering to take the hangers off of them.

"Mommy, what's Daddy doing?" Came an innocent voice from the door and Robert stood up, turning around to see Emily standing there watching them, "why are you crying, Mommy? What's going on?"  
Robert looked over at Daveigh who said nothing and sighed. Now he was going to have to explain everything to the twins.  
"Why was Daddy shouting at you?"  
"Shouting? Oh, you haven't heard me shout."  
"Robert, don't talk to her like that."  
"Like what?" Robert turned around and looked at Daveigh, "I'm not talking to her like anything. See? This is me being calm."

The forty nine year old man kept his eyes firmly fixed on his soon to be ex wife and she looked back at him, almost pleading him to stop saying what he was saying. Robert shrugged his shoulder and turned his back on Daveigh, grabbing some more clothes and shoving them in another suitcase. He walked around the room taking his things and putting them carelessly in the cases, just wanting to get out of the house. He felt sick being in the room. Emily continued to watch her father in horror, asking what was going on but she received no answers from any of them. The atmosphere was tense and awkward, Robert's blood was boiling up inside of him as he continued to take his stuff, putting them away and zipping up the case so it was secure and nothing would fall out of it.  
"Robert, please don't go."

At that plea, Langdon turned on his heel and dropped the suitcase he was holding. For a moment, Daveigh thought he was going to run over to her and hug her, saying that he forgave her and everything was fine – it was all just a stupid mistake. But he didn't. Daveigh knew she shouldn't have hoped for that. What she'd done was unforgivable.  
"Don't you even dare ask me not to go – you brought this on yourself, Daveigh, you made me do this because of what I saw you doing." He replied calmly though he was shaking slightly.  
"I love you..."  
"Don't give me that bullshit!" Robert suddenly yelled, causing Daveigh to flinch and Emily backed away from her father in fear. The shout had even surprised him, because it was loud, but he didn't put his hand over his mouth or anything. He'd actually forgotten how loud he could be. Robert kept his eyes fixed on Daveigh who was shaking now. How could she be shaking when this was her fault in the first place?  
"Robert..."  
"Stop it for Christ's sake, Daveigh, stop it! I don't want your bullshit anymore!"

Daveigh said nothing, she just stood there looking helpless – she didn't know what to do. Everything was different now, everything had changed for the worse. She was so happy with Robert but what she had done had changed all of that.  
"What am I supposed to do, eh?" Robert asked her, raising his hands up in the air, palms towards her, "I give up. Tell me what I'm meant to do. Am I meant to forgive you and put all my clothes back, pretend it never happened?"  
She still said nothing.  
"No? Okay so you don't want me here."  
"Yes! Yes I want you to stay, Robert, I do."  
"Okay, so you want me to stay. Then answer me this: why the HELL did you sleep with Don? What have I done that's so wrong that you have to go behind my back and sleep with my best god damn friend?"  
She swallowed again and looked down. There was no excuse, there was no answer.

Robert stared at her in disbelief and shook his head. The anger had drained out of him and now he just felt helpless. Those dreaded tears had welled back up in his eyes and he shook his head once more.  
"You made me feel alive, you made me feel like I was really someone. We were so happy, Daveigh. I felt needed and wanted and I even believed that you loved me. But now I've realised that was all just a joke. You never needed me, never wanted me, you never loved me, did you? No, wait, don't answer that question." He picked up his suitcases and turned his back on Daveigh, "I already know the answer."  
He sensed her step towards him and he glanced over his shoulder.  
"Don't bother seeing me out – I know my way."

And with that, Robert Langdon had walked out on his happy life, his world crashing around him. It was falling, burning, trashed. He walked on, not stopping once he was out of the door. The twins ran out after him but stopped at the end of the drive because they'd been told a while ago not to run out onto the road. They called 'daddy' but Robert didn't look back. He couldn't look back. If he looked back then he'd want to go back and tell his girls that everything would be okay. Robert just needed to carry on walking to the end of the road where his car was waiting. It was then, when he was standing by his car, that he took a blow to the head and everything just fell black and he crashed to the floor with a thump.


End file.
